A DARWEN woman has swapped smooth criminals for smooth walls.

Natalie Arthur used to pound the beat as a Police Community Support Officer with Lancashire Constabulary, equipped with handcuffs and a truncheon.

These days, however, the 21-year-old is more likely to be found up to her ears in plaster holding her trusted trowel.

It was after becoming disillusioned with the police that Natalie decided on a career change, to become a plasterer.

But not any old plasterer -- the only female plasterer in the North West.

She said: "When I left school I went for the police but I missed getting in. I wasn't going to let it get me down and I decided I would try again but I saw a poster for a police community support officer and I thought I would give it a try.

"If I liked it then I could apply for the police again in two years time.

"I liked it for about the first six months but then I found it boring.

"You were very limited to what you could do. I felt I was just walking around in a uniform. I didn't have much power at all.

"I wanted a complete change of career. I always wanted my own business, I wanted to work for myself and I didn't want to be stuck behind a desk.

"I took a massive risk, gave my job up and went into plastering."

A self-confessed lover of DIY Natalie was always on hand to help out friends and relatives who were needing assistance with a plastering job around the house.

Back then her reward was a couple of drinks in the pub at the weekend.

Now, after attending a two-week plastering course in Manchester which she passed with flying colours, she is earning a lot more and building a successful business.

NA Plastering was set up with help from Blackburn with Darwen Council's Get Set Programme which provided a grant of £1,600.